Redskins Linebacker Khary Campbell Welcomes Son Shia

Washington Redskins linebacker Khary Campbell had a great Sunday, September 28th. Not only did he earn two tackles and contribute to his team’s win against the Dallas Cowboys, but before the game he learned he was a first-time father. His wife went into labor a few days earlier than planned and gave birth to a 7 lb, 14 oz baby boy named Shia.

Khary’s wife was scheduled to be induced on Monday, September 29th, but Shia decided that he didn’t want to wait and instead "wanted to be here for the game," Khary joked. Once Khary learned that his wife was at the hospital Sunday morning and definitely in labor, he wasn’t sure if he should try to head home to Northern Virginia, as he was worried that he would end up missing both the birth and the game.

"Everything was happening so fast. You want to be there of course, so we try to do those things to be able to have a schedule. But he was on his own schedule, so all the planning was out the window."

The 29-year-old decided to stay for the game and became extremely anxious when his wife quit answering her phone. Khary tried to continue on with his pre-game rituals, but when he returned to the locker room before the game, a message was waiting for him. A text from his mother read, "Your son is here." Khary finished the game and landed back in D.C. with the team at 1 a.m., where he drove straight to the hospital "smiling from ear to ear."